Ward Nicol was born on 17th August 1896 in Pauatahanui the eldest of twelve children born to Caroline Emma (Iggulden) and John William Nicol[i]. The Iggulden and Nicol families were early settlers in the Pauatahanui district.

On 5th October 1916 Ward Nicol signed attestation papers; he is listed as a farmer working for Mr W J Huston, Waipuku, Stratford, Taranaki where he is listed as living. Ward’s next of kin was his mother Mrs Emma Nicol, Levin, Horowhenua. Ward indicated his preference was to join the Mounted Rifles.[ii]

36121 Trooper Ward Nicol entered military camp on 5th October 1916 with the 25th Reinforcements, Mounted Rifles during training and prior to embarking for overseas service Trooper Nicol attended a ‘social’ at Pauatahanui on

3rd April 1917[iii]

A very enjoyable social was held at Pahautanui Assembly Rooms, the occasion being

a farewell to Troopers Harris[iv] and Nicol. A large number of friends all around the

district were present. Mr Barclay (in the absence of Mr Galloway, president of the

and Harris suitably responded. The music was supplied by Mesers. Gilchrist (Violinist)

and E. J. King (pianist), assisted by Messers. Alf. Bradey (double bass) and

Fred Bradey (cornet). Miss Robinson recited “Anzac” in good style.

Trooper Ward Nicol with three of his younger

brothers left to right

Alfred Alexander,

Ward,

Ernest (George) George

Victor (Vic) John Nicol

Trooper Nicol sailed on 31st May 1917 with 262

men who made up the 25th and 26th

Reinforcements for the Mounted Rifles. The

Reinforcements were disembarked at Sydney

and re-embarked with Australian reinforcements

on the Port of Melbourne so they did not arrive in

Egypt until 19th October 1917. In Egypt

Trooper Nicol went into the training battalion as

an allocation to the Wellington Mounted Rifles

(WMR). Trooper Nicol joined the WMR in the field

on the 4th December 1917 where the NZ Mounted

Rifles, of which the WMR was a element, relieves the Imperial Camel Corps in muddy trenches at Sakia 7 km south-east of Jaffa’ [v] Palestine.

Trooper Nicol was wounded while in these muddy trenches suffering a gunshot wound to the shoulder[vi] Trooper Nicol was evacuated by Mounted Field Ambulance to the 24th Stationary Hospital at Kantara, Egypt for assessment and then

on 13th December 1917 to the 27th General Hospital for ongoing treatment. Trooper Nicol was discharged to the

NZ Aotea Convalescent Hospital on 28th December 1917 by the 23rd January 1918 he was considered fit enough to be discharged for active service. Trooper Nicol spent a month with the Training Battalion before rejoining the WMR ‘In the Field’ on 28th February 1918.

In August 1918 the WMR was in action near Beersheba, Palestine and is possible that Trooper Nicol was wounded during these skirmishes or during a bombing / strafing by enemy aircraft as he was admitted to hospital on 6th September 1918, with a minor gunshot wound (GSW) to his face and lower jaw. Trooper Nicol was evacuated again to Egypt, where the wound was tended but the effects of campaigning in Palestine had a greater impact and he was listed in October 1918

as suffering from diarrhoea and dysentery. The later medical condition was serious enough for Trooper Nicol to go before

a medical board on 3rd December 1918 where it was decided he should be returned to New Zealand. On 26th December 1918 Trooper Nicol embarked on the Wiltshire for New Zealand. Trooper Nicol arrived in New Zealand on

2nd February 1919 and was given a month’s leave before being discharged on 1st March 1919 as

were Messers Taylor and Harris. It was announced that a canvass of the district would be made to give

other boys coming home a similar function.

Ward returned to his parents in Levin[ix] on his return but by 1920 he had moved to farm in Whangamonona, Taranaki. Ward married Jane Reid in 1920 and the couple had two children while they were living in Whangamonona and the other children we born when the family were farming closer to Stratford at Tuna, Midhurst, Taranaki.

Ward Nicol died on 18th September 1974 and is buried with his wife Jane in the Kopuatoma Cemetery, Midhurst[x].

Ward Nicol is commemorated on the Pauatahanui Roll of Honour held in the St Alban’s Church, Pauatahanui.[xi]